Chapter 8:

Name Camael pronounced: {Caw-may-el}

Name Lailah pronounced: {Lie-la}

"For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour." ~ Mary Kay Ash

[XBaby of IniquityX]

Dean:

Dean rushes into Bobby's house, worried about Camael, worried about his brother, and of course worried about his father figure. They find Bobby in the kitchen, lying unconscious. Dean quickly goes up to him and shakes him. "Bobby!" He's demanding in his words but he needs to make sure the old man is okay.

"Dean?" Bobby says as he blinks awake.

"Yeah it's me, you okay?" Bobby nods his head. "Where's Sam?"

Bobby looks up at the younger man. "Upstairs protecting your kid."

Dean stands up, looks to Castiel, and points to Bobby. "Stay with him." Castiel nods and Dean makes his way to the stairs and up them. The first room he goes to is Camael's. Sam is on the floor knocked out. "Sammy!" Dean approaches with worry and shakes the enormous man. "Sam!"

Sam finally stirs and stares at Dean in confusion. Dean helps him up, looks behind him to see Castiel and Bobby entering the room. "What happened?" Sam asks as he peers around the room.

Dean sighs and stands next to Castiel. "Somehow Lailah knew what we planned and had demons ambush you. They..." Dean has to swallow to regain his composure. "They got Camael."

"What?" Sam asks in shock then guilt washes over his faces. "Dean, Cas, I am so sorry."

"It's okay Sammy," Dean excuses. "It wasn't your fault."

"What are we going to do now?" Sam asks his older brother.

Dean shakes his head in defeat, barely keeping it together. "I don't know. The summoning spell was only a one time deal, Cas even said so himself." Dean looks to his angel and finally sees how exhausted, and defeated he looks, not to mention the worry for his daughter. He doesn't like the look on him. "I think we can't do any good if we're all beat to hell and tired. Let's all take a break, catch a few Z's and think of something when we're rested." Dean hates to take that long before they get to work but if he knows his daughter, and he does, she'll buy them some time with her fussing.

Castiel's eyebrows scrunch up. "How are we supposed to catch Z's?" he asks in confusion and Dean can't help but chuckle.

Dean slings an arm around Castiel's shoulders. "It's a figure of speech that means to get some sleep. You don't have to sleep but you certainly need to rest so come lie down with me." They walk to their room and both lie down on the bed, Dean closing his eyes immediately. "We'll get her back Cas," Dean reassures him but can't help wonder if it's more for himself. They both lie there for a few minutes before Dean's eyes start to droop. A light snoring catches his ears, however, and he looks down at Castiel who is snuggled up against his chest. The falling angel's head is rested comfortably on Dean's chest, eyes shut, and breathing slow. The angel is fast asleep in Dean's arms and Dean is flabbergasted. When did Cas start to sleep? Dean thinks as he stares at the sleeping form.

He lies there; listening to Castiel's breathing for a few more minutes before he closes his eyes himself and falls asleep. He's woken a few hours later by Castiel. "Sam has called us," Castiel says, standing at the end of the bed.

Dean struggles to get up and follows his angel down the stairs and into Bobby's study. Sam is sitting on the couch while Bobby is behind his desk, both men reading intently. Bobby picks up a book and holds it out to the two people that just walked into the room. Dean eyes it in confusion and Castiel just stands there, emotionless as ever.

"Take the damn book, boy." Dean, being shocked out of his confusion, reaches out and takes the book. He looks at the cover but the title is so warn out, you can no longer read it.

He looks to Bobby, confusion returning. "What do you want me to do?"

Bobby looks up from the book he is study to roll his eyes at Dean. "Read it ya idjit, figure out a way to get your little girl back." He then hands Castiel a book as well.

Dean sighs and goes to sit next to his brother. "Push over gigantor." Sam slides over slightly and Dean pats the space beside him to allow Castiel to sit. Having the angel beside him comforts him slightly as he opens the book to the first page and begins to read.

There's nothing interesting and nothing remotely close to anything that could save Camael but then he reaches the end and something catches Dean's eyes.

"Cas," he begins and the angel looks up from the page he is on to stare at Dean, "According to this here," he shows Castiel the page, "if we use some of your DNA, then you'll be able to sense where Camael is."

He hears Sam huff beside him. "And where do you suppose we get his DNA Dean? We can't use his vessel because that's Jimmy's DNA."

"A feather." Everyone turns to Castiel, surprised and confused at what he said.

"What?" Dean asks.

"We can use a feather from my wings." Castiel stares into Dean's eyes. "That's where we will get the DNA."

"Explain to me how exactly we are going to get a feather from your wing?" Dean questions. "I thought we can't see them."

Castiel hesitates. "You normally can't but under… certain circumstances you can."

"And what are these 'certain circumstances'?" Sam inquires.

Castiel looks to the younger Winchester. "You'll be able to see my wings… just before I die."

[XBaby of IniquityX]

Sam:

Cas has a plan, not a pleasant one, but a good one. Dean, on the other hand, thinks it's a horrible plan.

"No Cas," Dean yells. He has now stood up from his position on the couch to face Castiel, who is still sitting down beside Sam.

"Dean," Castiel then stands up. "This is me living versus saving our daughter."

Dean is gazing at Castiel in anger. "I said no Cas, we are not going to kill you just for some stupid feather."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Castiel growls. "This is our daughter we are talking about."

"I don't know." Sam can see the desperation in his brother's eyes. "But we'll find another way. I'm not losing you Cas." Castiel glares at Dean before disappearing in front of their eyes. Dean's mouth sets in a straight line. "Cas, get your feathery ass back here! You better not be going to see if you can kill yourself!"

"Dean," Sam tries but Dean doesn't want to listen.

"Shut up Sam." He then walks out into the kitchen and grabs a beer from the refrigerator, popping the top off with ease and taking a sip.

Sam knows his brother is on edge and he honestly can't blame the guy. If it was Sam's lover versus his kid, he would be the same way; freaking the hell out. Sam looks over at Bobby to see that he is looking at Dean with sympathy. "What do you think Bobby?"

The older man sighs and drags his eyes to the tall Winchester. "I think the plan Cas gave us is the best we've got. We're running out of time."

Sam looks to the floor and then stands up. "Yeah I know." He goes into the kitchen and grabs a beer for himself, taking a swig before talking to his brother who is leaning his backside on the counter next to the refrigerator. "Dean, I know you don't like the plan that Cas gave us but-"

"Then let's forget about it," Dean cuts in.

Sam ignores the interruption and continues. "It's the best thing we've got at the moment Dean."

He can see how irritated Dean is getting but Sam doesn't care, he needs to get through to his big brother. Dean then pushes himself off the counter and walks to the door. "I don't want to talk about it, just leave me alone Sam."

Sam watches as Dean opens the door, pain strewn throughout his face, and leaves, closing the door behind him gently. Sam makes his way back into the study and picks up the book he was reading earlier. He flips to the page he left off on and continues his researching.

He feels for Dean, he really does, and it's not like he likes the plan anymore than Dean does, but what else do they have? Nothing. Lailah is one mother who is stronger than any of them. There's no way traditional ways of tracking will work on a higher level angel like that.

Sam sets the book down and gets back up. He leaves the old house that has seen so much evil, that Sam is surprised they don't considerate it their home as well, and walks down the long driveway. When he is out of sight from any windows or possibly Dean, he looks to the sky. "Castiel, can I talk to you?"

A flutter of wings and a gush of wind later, Castiel is standing in front him. Sam takes a step back to widen the space between the two before talking. "I'll go along with the plan as long as you can guarantee you'll be fine."

"I can't guarantee such a thing but I have been thinking and I think I know a way to make my chances of living greater," Castiel explains in his normal, stoic voice.

Sam looks at him intrigued and interested. "Yeah, and how's that?"